how the marabout could manage to play him
false, if he wanted to get his boy and hide the truth about himself.

"I am content," said the Arab. "And thou shouldst be content, since thou
hast driven a successful bargain, and it is as if the contract between
us were signed in my heart's blood. Now, I will leave thee. When the
ladies are ready, thou shalt be called by one of the men who will be of
their escort. It is not necessary that thou and I meet again, since we
have, I hope, finished our business together, once and for ever."

* * * * * * *

"Why is it that he lets me go, without even trying to make me swear
never to tell what I know?" Saidee asked Victoria, while all in haste
and in confusion they put together a few things for the long journey.
Saidee packed the little volumes of her diary, with trembling fingers,
and looked a frightened question at her sister.

"I'm thankful that he doesn't ask us," Victoria answered, "for we
couldn't promise not to tell, unless he would vow never to do the
dreadful things you say he plans--lead a great rising, and massacre the
French. Even to escape, one couldn't make a promise which might cost
thousands of lives."

"We could perhaps evade a promise, yet seem to do what he asked," said
Saidee, who had learned subtle ways in a school of subtlety. "I'm
terrified that he _doesn't_ ask. Why isn't he afraid to let us go,
without any assurances?"

"He knows that because you've been his wife, we wouldn't betray him
unless we were forced to, in order to prevent massacres," Victoria tried
to reassure her sister. "And perhaps for the sake of getting his boy
back, he's willing to renounce all his horrible plans."

"Perhaps--since he worships the child," Saidee half agreed. "Yet--it
doesn't seem like Cassim to be so easily cowed, and to give up the whole
ambition of his life, with scarcely a struggle, even for his child."

"You said, when you told me how you had written to Mr. Knight, that
Cassim would be forced to yield, if they took the boy, and so the end
would justify the means."

"Yes. It was a great card to play. But--but I expected him to make me
take a solemn oath never to tell what I know."

"Don't let's think of it," said Victoria. "Let's just be thankful that
we're going, and get ready as quickly as we can, lest he should change
his mind at the last moment."

"Or lest Maieddine should find out," Saidee added. "But, if Ca